Living With Eczema: Keeping the Skin Well Hydrated

Drink at least 12 eight ounce glasses (3 liters) of water per day! Considerably more is needed if one is working outside, playing a sport, or doing something else physically taxing. And since heat relates to flushing in most people, they need even more. Those with eczema should consume between 12 and 16 glasses (3-4 liters depending on body size and physical activity and dry or cold climates with low humidity) of icy water per day to cool the face and the body and to assist the body in proper excretion of oil, waste, and toxins. Water also moistens the skin, greatly reducing clogged pores. Most importantly, water helps relieve stress during the day and relaxes the body for sleep. We cannot stress enough how important it is to drink water. The hypothalamus is the body’s thermostat, regulating temperature, but it cannot achieve this objective without adequate water. The body is approximately 70% water. Water is needed for skin tissue repair as well as nearly every body process including efficient digestion, absorption, circulation and secretion. Water carries nutrients to the skin cell and all body cells and removes waste from the cell. A human needs, on average, twelve glasses of water daily in addition to other fluids (unless you’re part camel). The eczema sufferer benefits from more: 12 to 16 glasses of ice water help keep the condition under control.

Living With Eczema: Learning to Control or Reduce Stress

Your body's reaction to stressful situations often shows itself on your skin. Hives are a common reaction to stress and/or stressful conditions. Stress is the body's reaction to a perceived threat. Adrenaline and hormones are released, and the central nervous system is activated, sharpening our senses, but simultaneously our pulse rises, our muscles tense and our immune system begins to shut down. Those that can not relieve stress as needed may experience fatigue, upset stomach, and frequent headaches. Long term stress can contribute to family breakdown, job fatigue, with resulting long term health problems such as depression, heart disease, high blood pressure, as well as eczema.

Correcting the Misconceptions About Dermatitis

There are a lot of misconceptions about dermatitis. It's important that you understand your condition so you can help others understand it as well.

Dermatitis is not like acne. However, it is true that some medications may cause acne and complicate your dermatitis. Talk to your doctor, there are different medications that may help.

Dermatitis is not caused by an emotional disorder, although doctors did at one time believe this. However, emotional factors like stress can make dermatitis worse. There are techniques that can help you manage the stress, anxiety, anger, or frustration to limit the possibility of dermatitis 'flare-up'.

Dermatitis is not contagious. This means that you can't 'catch' the disease from another person and you can't give it to someone by touching them.

Most people with dermatitis can go swimming. However, some people who have severe dermatitis find that the chemicals used in swimming pools or sea water makes their dermatitis worse, so they choose not to go in. Make sure that before and after you go swimming you put on a moisturizer.

Although your dermatitis can be very uncomfortable and unpleasant, it is very unusual for it to leave any permanent marks on your skin. However, some conventional treatments can cause skin discolouration, striae (white, shiny stretch marks), and skin thinning. Talk to your doctor if you are concerned about any unusual side effects from your current treatment.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for dermatitis. Topical corticosteroids have been used for a long time to treat dermatitis, they are not a cure and they do have limitations for treatment.

Hair Products Can Affect Dermatitis

Benzophenone can also be found in hair care products but a more common ingredient in these products that may cause facial contact dermatitis is cocoamidylpropyl betaine, which is found in baby shampoos and many adult shampoos. "Ingredients in hair care products can cause facial or neck dermatitis, even if they don't cause scalp dermatitis," said Dr. Nedorost. "The face and neck are more sensitive than the scalp and may react where hair products run off of the scalp or are not completely rinsed."

Ingedients in Sunscreens Can Affect Dermatitis

The sunscreen ingredient benzophenone, which blocks both types of harmful UV radiation, can also cause allergy. "Photo contact dermatitis is common on areas of the face and neck where sunscreen has been applied and is most often noticed after UV exposure because UV light activates the sunscreen," stated Dr. Nedorost.

Standard Medications Used in the Treatment of Derrmatitis

The following medications are most commonly used to treat dermatitis:
*Antihistamines such as diphenhydramine which is used to help decrease the amount of itching. These medications may cause drowsiness. Some new antihistamines are also available that do not cause drowsiness;
*Topical steroid creams used to help to decrease the inflammation in the skin, thus decreasing the itching and swelling. Many topical steroids in various strengths are available. Steroids, if overused, are potentially damaging to the skin.
*Other options include oral antibiotics; oral cyclosporine designed to suppress the immune system; phototherapy; topical immunomodulators which are a new class of drugs for the treatment of dermatitis. These drugs are used topically to alter the immune response.
*Dermatitis-Ltd, a novel combination of minerals composed of zinc annd sulfur both of which are benefical in controlling redness, itching, breakouts.

Nummular Dermatitis

Nummular dermatitis is a name given to a stubborn, sometimes itchy rash that forms coin-shaped patches on the skin. The lesions as they get older may clear in the center resembling ring worm or fungus. The condition tends to be chronic, with periods of quiescence and exacerbation.The cause is unknown although it is more common in the winter. Nummular dermatitis is frequently associated with dry skin. Wool, soaps and frequent bathing (more than once a day) often worsen the condition. People with dermatitis have skin that is dry and easily irritated by soap, detergents, and rough wool clothing. Clothes washed or dried with liquid or sheet fabric softeners such as Cling, may also irritate the skin. Hot and cold weather often aggravates dermatitis. Certain allergies may worsen dermatitis, but they don't cause it.

Babies and Dermatitis

Use caution when appying skin care products on babies. Baby oils and lotions can clog your baby's pores, causing rashes, and should be used with caution, if at all. Fragrances added to products may also be irritating to babies. Hair should be washed with a mild baby shampoo.

Beware if You Have Skin Sensitivity to Chemicals or Synthetics

WASHINGTON (AP) - If you want a lotion, soap or lip balm free of chemicals and synthetics, you'd better read the fine print. The Agriculture Department is taking its round, green ``USDA Organic'' label off personal care products and cosmetics. When it created the seal in 2002, the primary intent was to certify the organic claims made by food producers, such as that meat came from animals raised without antibiotics and not confined indoors, or that vegetables were grown without pesticides. But the department also opened the door to making a wide range of other products eligible for the label: cosmetics and personal care items, pet food, dietary supplements, textiles like cotton T-shirts and fish. ``The feeling was, if your product was composed of agricultural ingredients, and you thought you could get certified, you were welcome to try,'' said Barbara Robinson, head of the department's National Organic Program.
Three years later, the department decided it had gone too far. In April, it began telling companies their cosmetics and other personal care products can't be government-certified as organic, after all.
Fish and pet food are also off the table, but only for now. The department is creating task forces to make rules for certifying them. Still being decided is whether dietary supplements can use the seal.
``As time went by, and legal counsel in the department and senior policy officials took a closer look, they determined that wouldn't really stand up in a court of law,'' Robinson said.
That's bad news to Nancy Piersel of Finland, Minn. She looks for the organic seal because she has a disorder called multiple chemical sensitivity, which causes allergy-like symptoms when she's exposed to many substances.
The seal ``gave me more confidence to try that product,'' said Piersel, 48. She makes her own lip gloss and, before the seal became available, would call companies to find out more about ingredients before buying something new.
``I have to be very careful about what I use, because my skin reacts to a lot of things. I get rashes and burning, itching - the same kind of thing you'd get if you had a bad skin reaction to any product,'' Piersel said. ``Now that I won't have those labels, I'll have to do more digging.''
The department's reversal also is frustrating to companies that spent money and time to put the seal on their products. An Agriculture Department-authorized agent must certify a company before it can use the seal or label something ``100 percent organic'' or ``organic.''
David Bronner, president of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, said his company spent some $100,000 to ensure that his soaps, lotions and lip balms met the standards for using the seal.
Bronner said consumers are confused by the myriad products that claim to have ``organic'' or ``natural'' ingredients. The USDA seal guaranteed his products are free of chemicals and synthetic ingredients, he said.
``Everyone in the world's making an organic claim,'' Bronner said. ``We're not doing tricks. We actually work really hard to make real, organic ingredients. The National Organic Program is what consumers trust.''
Organic means a product contains all-natural, non-synthetic substances that are grown without using conventional pesticides or fertilizer, biotechnology or radiation. And it means meat and dairy products have come from animals raised on organic feed, given access to the outdoors and never given antibiotics or growth hormones.
The Organic Consumers Association, to which Piersel belongs, is asking the Agriculture Department to take another look at removing its seal from personal care products.
The association says the reversal hurts small companies in particular, because the seal is part of a marketing program that gives them an edge. Bigger companies can't find the volume of organic ingredients they would need to make certified organic shampoo or other products, the group says.
Beyond that, the group argues that personal care products use the same ingredients as those in organic food.
``Certified organic olive oil does not magically become non-organic if it is used as a massage oil instead of on a salad,'' said Ronnie Cummins, executive director of the association.
Robinson, however, said the department won't change its mind again without an act of Congress. The 1990 law creating the organic program - the Organic Foods Production Act - was not intended to cover products besides food, she said.
``This is USDA - I don't know anything about the cosmetics industry, or toothpaste, or body lotions and hand cream,'' Robinson said.
On the Net:
National Organic Program: http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/wrap/linker.jsp?rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcnn.netscape.cnn.com%2Fns%2Fnews%2Fstory.jsp%3Fnull&rcn=Return%20to%20News&turl=http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/
Organic Trade Association: http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/wrap/linker.jsp?rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcnn.netscape.cnn.com%2Fns%2Fnews%2Fstory.jsp%3Fnull&rcn=Return%20to%20News&turl=http://www.ota.com/
Organic Consumers Association: http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/wrap/linker.jsp?rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcnn.netscape.cnn.com%2Fns%2Fnews%2Fstory.jsp%3Fnull&rcn=Return%20to%20News&turl=http://www.organicconsumers.org/

Causes of Dermatitis

There are many causes for the skin to be irritated and to be become inflamed. The skin can resists irritation, but some individuals and especially fair-skinned people, postpartum females, older patients with drier skin, and those with existing dermatitis, have an enhanced sensitivity due to genetics or contact with toxic substances, abrasion, internal metabolic imbalance or endogenous dermatitis. One needs to always identify the cause which will take much time to examine foods & drinks, sun exposure, dehydration, detergents and over washing.